Lynda Mann's relatives want to try to block Colin Pitchfork's release from prison because they believe he is still a danger to the public.

The 15-year-old schoolgirl was raped and murdered in Narborough, Leicestershire, in 1983 and Pitchfork was sentenced to life imprisonment five years later.

The ground-breaking case, using DNA fingerprinting to snare him, came back into the headlines this month with ITV1's two-part dramatisation of the investigation starring David Threlfall and John Simm.

Lynda's family started their online Never Free This Monster petition after learning on Monday the legal process has begun for deciding if Pitchfork should be released and allowed to serve the remainder of his jail term on licence.

Within hours it had already been signed by more than 1,700 people.

Lynda's sister Rebecca hopes to collect signatures on the online petition - which has the blessing of her mum, Kath - from across the country.

The 33-year-old said: "I was only two years old when Lynda died. I have grown up seeing the effect of what he did on our mum.

"I have seen her go through all of this pain.

"She is a strong woman, but the only thing which keeps her going is knowing that he is in prison.

"I really don't know what it would do to her if he was ever let out."

"If he is released he could end up anywhere in the country and we believe it is in everybody's interest that he remains in prison.

"That's why I will be contacting MPs in different towns and cities to make them aware of this case."

DRAMA: David Threlfall and John Simm starred in ITV's two-part drama on the case, 'Code Of A Killer' [ITV]

“If he is released he could end up anywhere in the country and we believe it is in everybody's interest that he remains in prison”

victim Lynda Mann's sister Rebecca

Pitchfork killed Lynda in 1983 and his second victim, Dawn Ashworth, also 15, in neighbouring Enderby, Leicestershire, three years later.

He was caught after police asked local men to give a DNA sample for screening and a local women overhead an employee of Pitchfork boasting how he had taken the swab sample test in his boss' place.

Pitchfork, a baker, admitted the two murders and was given two life sentences in January 1988.

At that time judges did not set a minimum tariff before being considered for parole and a High Court judge later fixed this period for Pitchfork as 30 years.

But in 2009 the inmate won a High Cout battle to cut that term by two years.

This means a parole board is to assess the case for his release later this year or early in 2016.

The parole board of up to three people will consider detailed reports on Pitchfork's state of mind and conduct in prison before it decides whether he could be safely released.

It could also decide it would be unsafe to release him or be transfer him to a category D, or open, prison to prepare him for eventual release.

Dawn's mum Barbara also said this week that she believes Pitchfork should remain in prison for the rest of his life.